Well, I put off writing this survival guide for a couple weeks in hopes that this would all end quickly…. And here we are with at least another 30 days of this quarantine business.

First of all I am by no means an expert at quarantine but after being a stay at home mom for 6 years I do have some tips to keep you from going completely crazy!

Quarantine Survival Tips

1. Give yourself grace. You will feel all the emotions. Some days you will wake up and own the day, Some days you will waste on TikTok, Some days you will feel like a ticking time bomb, and some days you will enjoy from beginning to end. Be sure to enjoy those good days and take those not so good days with a grain of salt, a lime, and tequila. Ok, maybe drinking isn’t the answer (maybe it is) but the point is don’t let those not so good days ruin the good days!

2. Get Ready. Wake up each day and get yourself ready for the day as if you have somewhere to go. I know this seems like a silly and pointless tasks but trust me its a GAME CHANGER! I also do not mean get ready for a night out on the town. However, I do mean get up and get out of your jammies, brush your hair, brush your teeth, and for you women… put some mascara on! I promise by doing this you will be way more productive than if you stay in your jammies all day! Not only will you be more productive you will also set you yourself up for being in a better mood.

3. Wake up with intention. Not only wake up and get yourself ready for the day but also wake up with intention. Meaning, give yourself something to do and look forward to doing. If you have something you need and/or want to do it will give you a little more drive to get up and get going.

4. Have a schedule.  We all function more efficiently and better with the guidance of a schedule.  Now, I am not saying follow it to a T (Remember give yourself grace) but just have an idea of how the day should go and when you should take breaks. Without a schedule of some sort in place the day will get away from you and you will not get anything done.

5. Remain Positive! This is the most important part of survival.  If you are constantly feeling negative about this situation you will miss out on so much good about this situation. I know the good is hard to find but believe me if you look for it, it is there! So, when you start to have a negative thought or reaction change your mindset immediately.

Here are some examples –

Negative – I have to Stay home.  Positive – I have a home I get to stay in and enjoy.

Negative – I have to help my kids with e-learning.  Positive – I get to help and watch my kids learn and grow.

Negative – I am bored.  Positive – I have been wanting the time to do….(pick up a hobby, work on a project, learn something new, read a book)

6. Move! No, I don’t mean move homes but I do mean get up and get your butt moving a few times a day. Twenty minutes of movement here and there is a total game changer for your attitude and lets be honest…. your body.  If you can get outside and move, DO IT!! Outside time + moving will make you feel like a whole new person!!

7. Take a break! When you are feeling depleted, sad, mad, exhausted, upset, etc. take a break! If you need to lock yourself in a room for a bit to be alone to read, watch TikTok, have a drink, take a peaceful shower, or whatever you need to do to feel better… DO IT. Or get in the car and drive around for a bit. If you have kids and don’t have anyone to watch them, load them in a car and do a road sign scavenger hunt but first grab a yourself a coffee from somewhere! There is that whole analogy about you need to put your oxygen mask on before you can assist others…. thats so dang true in this situation too. Make sure you give yourself the self care that you need so that you can help others.

8. Have fun and enjoy this time! How often have we wished for more hours in the day? Well guess what, we have been given the gift of time! So be sure to do things that you don’t normally make or have time for. You will one day soon look back on this time and be grateful for it if you make the most of it!

With all of this said, take one day at a time! Some days will be great and others might be complete shit! Those bad days, pour yourself a drink, lick your wounds, go to bed early, and wake up the next day ready to try again!

Hang in there friends! We totally got this!